Railroad car



March 27, 1951 Q A KUHLER ET AL 2,546,311

RAILROAD CAR Filed April 11, 194'? 3 Sheets-Sheet l A ORNEY March 27, 1951 Q A, KUHLER ETAL 2,546,311

1 RAILROAD CAR Filed April 11, 1947 '3 Sheets-Sheet 5 `FIE E INVENTORS Uffa/L Ku/u- I WIV/a )n EBI/rue if A oR'NEY connected therewith by iioor portions I5.

Patented Mar. 27, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE RAILROAD CAR Otto A. Kuhler, Blauvelt, N. Y., and William E. Burnett, Montclair, N. J., assignors to American Car and Foundry Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New Jersey Application April 11, 1947, Serial No. 740,744

8 Claims.

This invention relates to railway cars and more particularlyY to sleeping cars.

The present trend in the design of sleeping cars is to provide private rooms for all of the passengers and the general plan has been to arrange the rooms on a single deck. Such arrangement reduces the number of passengers that can be accommodated as compared with previous single deck structures having upper and lower berths. As a consequence, the fare for private rooms has been much higher in order to give the carrier the same revenue per car as that previously realized and necessary for protable operation.

An object of the invention is to utilize the spare space to a maximum extent in stairway terminal rooms of a two deck sleeping car as storage chambers.

- Another object of the invention resides in the arrangement and formation of a room and seat whereby the seat can be extended to horizontal bed position in a room having the major portion of its length less than that of the bed,

A further object of the invention is to provide a sleeping car, of the private room type, with adequate accommodations for the porter, baggage, equipment and accessories.

These and other objects of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from a study of the following description and accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a sleeping car incorporating the invention.

Figure 2 is a sectional view of the car taken on line 2--2 of Figure 3.

Figure 3 is a sectional view of the car taken on line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is asectional View of the car taken on line 4-4 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a sectional 'view of the car taken on line 5-5 of Figure 2.

Figure 6 is a sectional view of the car taken on line 6--6 of Figure 4.

Referring now to the drawings by characters of reference, the sleeping car indicated generally by numeral I0 is mounted upon a pair of wheel trucks I I located one near each end thereof. The car flooring is arranged in three levels, the end floorings I2 being arranged to overlie the trucks. A lower flooring I3 extends horizontally between the trucks and in a plane slightly above the track rails .9 on which the truck wheels I4 ride. This lower flooring is below the end oorings and is Extending in a horizontal plane above the end noorlngs and over the lower ooring is an upper floor- (Cl. 10S-315) 2 ing I6. The car is provided with a conventional roof structure I I and outer side walls I3.

A pair of spaced panels 20 extend centrally and longitudinally of the lower flooring and are suitably attached to the lower and upper iioorings I3 and I5 and provide therebetween a center aisle 2 I.

The longitudinallyextending spaces between the panels '20 and the car sides are divided into rooms, preferably of similar length, by transversely extending panels 22.

Centrally located spaced panels 23 extend longitudinally above the upper flooring I5 providing a center aisle 32 which is closed at the ends by bulkheads I9. These upper panels 23 are preferably in alignment vertically with the lower panels 2l). The longitudinally extending spaces between the upper panels and the car side walls I8 are divided into rooms by transversely extending panels 24 arranged preferably substantially the same distance apart. Such transverse panels are suitably secured to the roof, the upper iiooring, the car outer side walls and the panels 23 to provide a series of compartments or rooms along each side of the upper aisle.

Spaced panels 25, located centrally of the car, extend longitudinally from the end transverse panels 22 and 24 of the lower and upper ldecks to the adjacent vestibule portions 23 of the car. These panels 25 are in line longitudinally of the car with panels 20 and 23 and form a central aisle 25 that aligns with the central aisle of the lower flooring. The spaces between the car side walls and panels 25 are divided into room spaces by transverse panels 5l. Below the roof and over each of the end oorings is arranged a ceiling member 21 providing end chambers 28 for accommodating heavy equipment and accessories.

The floor portions for the rooms adjacent the flooring connections I5 are in a plane slightly above the balance of the end oorings. Steps 3| are carried by the dependent connections I5 and lead from end flooring aisles 25 to lower aisle 2 I. The bulkheads I9 are short of the ends of the upper flooring and the upper flooring between panels 23 beyond the bulkheads is cut away to provide head room for persons standing in aisle 2I adjacent the bottom of steps 3|.

Room 33 is provided with a transverse panel 34 providing a toilet room 35, such panel having an entrance opening with a sliding door 35. Panel 25 has an archway open to room 33 and this room contains a water cooler 31, provides a storage space and a foyer. This room also has va longitudinally extending panel 38 therein and steps 39, supported between this panel and the adjacent aisle panel, lead from room 33 to the end upper room adjacent thereto. The end transverse panel 24 has an archway dl above the head of such steps while panel 23 for room 4Q has an archway 42 open to the upper aisle. A transverse door 43 in room 40 closes baggage chamber 'Ms and longitudinally extending panel 45 forms a locker 45. Door 116' closes an opening in panel 45.

Room 47 on the inner end of the end flooring at the other end of the car and on the opposite side of the aisle from room 33, has a longitudinal panel 48 extending the entire length thereof forming a locker i9 for electric equipment. Door 50 provides access to the electric equipment locker and archway 5| is provided in panel 25 for openly connecting room [il and the adjacent center aisle 25. Steps 52 lead from room il to the adjacent end room 53 on the upper deck and the end transverse panel 24 has an archway 5d above the top of the steps. Panel 23 for room 53 has an archway 55 leading to the upper'deck center aisle. This room 53 also provides storage chambers 8B and Si for various car accessories or equipment. Door 52 opens to provide access to chamber t@ and door S3 opens to provide access to chamber 8l. The steps 39 and 52 are arranged on opposite sides of the center aisle so that a passenger will leave the center aisles in passing from one to the other. The ceilings 21 extend horizontally above the end floorings except over the steps 38 and 52 where portions 5@ thereof extend upwardly toward end panels 24 of the upper deck to provide head clearance. Openings in ceiling portions 55 providing access to chambers 28 are closed by doors S5. Chambers 23 are also accessible through openings in the end panels 24 accessible from aisle 32 and closed, by doors 86 and accessib-le from upper end rooms and closed by doors B1. As there are bulkheads at the ends of the upper aisle, the side steps between upper and lower rooms provide the only access between the upper aisles and the center aisles of the end oorings. The advantage of this type of construction is to eliminate the gen- 'eral passage of persons through the upper aisle of the car whereby the passengers in the upper rooms are not disturbed by general traffic through the car.

The room spaces throughout the car have the Vsame length except room space 4'! and the room across the hall therefrom, such rooms being of less llength than required for a sleeping room. 1t is proposed to utilize room @il for the porter and in order to provide regulation length for bed means. the adjacent end panel 22 of the lower deck is formed with a well 6l open to room 69.

-Such well may be formed by depressing the panel or by the application of enclosure members around on opening in the panel. The well projects into the adjacent lower decl; room 62 which may be utilized as a storage chamber for car batteries.

Adjacent the aisle panel in the room Gil fer the porter is an enclosure wall 83 forming a closet eli.

Between the closet and the side wail of the car is arranged a chair structure that may be made up .into a bed. The chair seat structure 35 is supported onpedestal et when used as a chair and on brackets 6'! fixed to the transverse panel at the forward end of room Bil and brackets Si" fixed to walls I8 and 53 when used as a bed. The back structure 69 is removable and can be laid horizontally onv the pedestal and the bottom wall of the wellli. As abed consisting of the chair seat `and 4 back may lack regulation length, a sponge rubber .pad in the well furnishes an extended bed surface and with the seat and back forms the bed means for the porter. The well also serves as a chamber for storing the bed mattress, covers and pillows when the back structure and seat structure are in chair forming position.

A panel 68 extends across the room 60 above the chair back and forms a linen locker 'IG accessible to the porter from within his room. A suitable door 1l is provided to close an opening in the locker panel.

The rooms, other than those referred to specifically, provide .private bedrooms in which are arranged a bed 12, a chair 13, wash basin 14 and other usual accommodations. The aisle panel for each of these bedrooms and the porters room 'have an opening adapted to be closed by sliding doors 15. T he ends of aisles 25' are closed by doors SS sljidable transversely in a pocket in end panel 5l.

It will be understood that the car outline cornes within dimensions required in the railroad industry. A maximum number of passengers are accommodated in the car and substantially all other available space is utilized for the adequate storage of car equipment, accessories and baggage.

rEhe invention may be modified in various respects as will occur to those skilled in the art and the exclusive use of all modifications as come within the scope of the appended claims is contemplated.

What is claimed is:

l. In a railway sleeping car, a flooring, a roof, side walls, spaced vlongitudinally extending panels forming an aisle, transverse panels dividing the spaces between the panels and car side walls into rooms, a seat structure in one of the rooms having a forwardly shitable seat cushion and a back cushion shiftable for alignment horizontally with the seat cushion to form a portion of a bed, and a well extending into the room adjacent the back cushion for accommodating and supporting an end portion of the back cushion when moved vto horizontal bed forming position.

2. In a Yrailway sleeping car, a flooring, a roof, side walls, spaced longitudinally extending panels forming an aisle therebetween, transverse panels dividing the spaces between the longitudinal panels, and the side walls into room spaces, a longitudinal panel in one room adjacent the aisle panel forming therewith a closet, a seat structure in one end of said room between the closet panel and the side wall having a stationary base, a horizontally shiftable seat on the base and a removable back cushion, a well on the transverse panel adjacent the chair structure projecting into the adjacent room with the bottom thereof in longitudinal alignment with the seat cushion when in horizontal position with the seat moved forward, said back cushion being supported 'at one end on the floor of the well and at the other end o-n said base, and means in the room for supporting the seat cushion in forward shifted bed forming position.

3. In a railway sleeping car, a flooring, a roof, side walls, spaced longitudinally extending panels forming a center aisle therebetween, transverse panels dividing the spaces between the long-i:- tudinal panels and lthe adjacent car side walls into rooms, and means on one of said panels forming two oppostely extending chambers both accessible from. one of said rooms.

4. In a railway sleeping car having wheel trucks near the ends thereof, a roof, side walls, end floorings over the trucks, a bottom ilooring between the trucks, an upper flooring between the trucks over the lower flooring and in a plane above the end ilcorings, spaced longitudinally extending panels on each of said loorings forming center aisles therebetween and side spaces, bulkheads at the ends of the aisle of the upper ilooring, transverse panels dividing the side spaces into rooms, central stairways between the ends of the center aisles of the lower flooring and the end floorings, and stairways between opposite aisle panels for the end floorings and the adjacent side wall leading from rooms on the end oorings to end rooms on the upper ilooring.

5. In a railway sleeping car having wheel trucks near the ends thereof, a roof, side walls, end floorings over the trucks, a lower flooring between the trucks and dependent from the end floorings, an upper ilooring between the trucks extending over the lower flooring and in a plane above the end floorings, spaced longitudinally extending panels on each of said loorings forming center aisles and side spaces, bulkheads at the ends of the upper flooring aisle, transverse panels dividing the side spaces into rooms, steps between the lower Ilooring center aisle and the center aisles of the end oorings, stairways adjacent the center aisle steps leading from rooms on the end floorings to adjacent upper rooms, and archways in the aisle panels of the rooms in which the stairways terminate.

6. In a railway sleeping car having wheel trucks near the ends thereof, a roof, side walls, end ilooring over the trucks, a lower ilooring between the trucks, an upper flooring between the trucks overlying the lower fiooring and in a plane above the end floorings, spaced longitudinally extending panels on each flooring forming center aisles and side spaces, transversely extending panels on each flooring dividing the side spaces into rooms, steps leading from the aisles in the end floorings to the lower aisle, steps in one of the end rooms on each end floor leading to the adjacent end room on the upper flooring, and a longitudinally extending panel in each end nooring room adjacent the steps leading to the upper rooms forming storage chambers adjacent the car side walls.

7. In a railway sleeping car having wheel trucks near the ends thereof, a roof, side walls, end ilooring over the trucks, a lower flooring between the trucks, an upper iiooring between the trucks overlying the lower flooring and in a plane above the end oorings, spaced longitudinally extending panels on each ooring forming center aisles therebetween, transversely extending panels on each flooring dividing the spaces between the panels and adjacent car side walls into rooms, steps leading from the aisles in the end floorings to the lower aisle, steps in one of the end rooms on each end iloor leading to the adjacent end room on the upper ilooring, and longitudinally extending panels in the upper rooms to which the steps lead, said panels and adjacent car side walls forming storage chambers.

8. In a railway sleeping car having wheel trucks near the ends thereof, a roof, side walls, end flooring over the trucks, a lower ooring between the trucks, an upper flooring between the trucks overlying the lower flooring and in a plane above the end iloorings, spaced longitudinally extending panels on each llooring forming center aisles and side spaces, transversely extending panels on each flooring dividing the side spaces into rooms, steps leading from the aisles in the end oorings to the lower aisle, steps in one of the end rooms on each end floor leading to the adjacent end room on the upper ooring, and bulkheads closing the ends of the aisle on the upper flooring, said bulkheads being located short of the ends 0f the upper ilooring and the upper flooring being open therebeyond along the aisle portion to provide head clearance for passengers standing in the aisle therebelow adjacent the bottom of the center aisle steps.

OTTO A. KUHLER. WILLIAM E. BURNETT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 487,918 Fordham Dec. 13, 1892 654,926 State July 31, 1900 1,174,703 Flagg Mar. 7, 1916 1,673,682 Hulse June 12, 1928 1,724,149 Self Aug. 13, 1929 2,000,550 Woodward May 7, 1935 2,143,827 Demarest Jan. 10, 1939 2,285,933 Ledwinka et al June 9, 1942 2,346,878 Tulley et al Apr. 18, 1944 2,405,136 Dittrich Aug. 6, 1946 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 374,713 France Apr. 24, 1907 

